Register



NOV. 27, 1951 T, F CALLAHAN ETAL 2,576,102

REGISTER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed June 25, 1948 PTM/a f @www MEQ/2 NOV- 27, 1951 T. F. CALLAHAN ETAL 2,576,102

REGISTER 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 Filed June 25, 1948 Patented Nov. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REGISTER Thomas-F. Callahan., West Newton, and Frank G. White, Watertown, Mass..

ApplicationJuneZ, 1948, Serial No. 34,697

8 Claims...

This invention relates to a register adapted to? Various detailsV ofv structural improvementv are also included inthe register which is1 hereinafterA described and is illustrated on theY drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a perspective view: of` a regi-ster embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on` the.: "line 2 -2; of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan viewV of a sample; 'ledger form;

Figure 4 is a plan'` view of a portion of a, fan-folded strip of printed sailesslips;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of Vthe apparatus; taken on a longitudinal plane;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan View oflv a. portion of the apparatus;

Figure 7 is a section on the line 1-'lV of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8---8` of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a sectional view similar to Figure 8 but showing the parts in a different position of operation; and

Figure 10 is a section on the li-ne of Figure. 2;

The invention is` shown as embodied in a receptacle which, as illustrated in Figure l, may be in the form of a trough having; a bottom 22 and side walls 24 and 26. These side wallsV are preferably of considerable thickness andare hollow so,` as to contain mechanismasfhereinafter,`

described.

Rising from the bottom 22, near the-midpoint thereof, are two arches 28 of a type commonly employed for holdingp together loosely a stackV ofl papers or forms, in such av manner as to, facilitate. access to any desired sheet in; theystack without disturbing the sequence of the. sheets. inthestack. Figure ishows astack 30: of printed forms such as that shown in Figure.4 3. These forms are normally disposed in the forwardr portion of the trough 20 but any desired number of' themcan be swung over thenarchesixso as to According to `the inslie inverted in the rear portion of the trough;` leaving the next successive form on tcpof the; stack. overlying the-.stack-i* is a tablefmemben 32 which is hinged, as at 34, toy the` Wall; 24; 1andiA extends across the forward.u portion off'the trough to rest on the wall 26. ThisV table member-isr of considerable thickness and is hollow, the. interior being divided into a number of compartmentsto hold supplies offorms and carbon'papery and being otherwise equipped as hereinafter described so that it is `in itself a Seli-contained, autographic register.

Asshown in Figure 2, a compartment `315 in the table member is adapted tocontain carbon paper, one or more strips 38- of carbonpaper being-made up into a roll adapted to-be inserted in the com-v partment. A `lid or cover 40' is provided for the compartment. 'Ihis may be4 hinged, as at. l42,

and spring pressed, as by aV spring 44, so as to.

be maintained resiliently in its closed' position. The edge of the cover 40 opposite the hinge 42 does not close tightly: but is arranged to leave an opening 46 through which the strip or `strips of carbon paper may be drawn from the roll.

The table 32V also has a central compartment 50 adapted to receive and hold a fan-folded strip of blanks or forms 52, such as the sales'slip'illus.- trated in Figure 4. The compartment 50 is closed by a lidv or top, plate 54; which may beloonveniently hinged'y as at 56, and is spring-pressed toward its closed position. The fan-folded blanks or forms 52 are preferably drawn through a narrow opening; 58 (Figure 5) at the rear end ofthe lid 54 andV thence forward across the lid 54 and down through a passage 6.6 so astoemerge through an opening 62 in the iront wall ot the table member 32. are thus drawn across the table member from rear to front, the carbon paper strip or strips being drawn laterally from leftl to right across the central portion of; the table member..

The free end of the carbon strip or strips `3.8, which is at the righthand Side O fthe top of the table member 32, isclampedl by `a suitable clalllp-Y ingl device 64 setV flush into.r the top or the` tablel member. 'Ilhe clamping device isY best shown in. Figure 10y and is; mounted on a pair 0f; parallelV links 66 within a compartment 6.8. of the table member 32 so that a push on the `projecting end 69 causes the clamp to swing up to a position above the table top. The clamp 64 .is provided with. a slot 'l0 through which the carbon paper` maybe thrust; when the clamp isswung up toits elevated position shown in Figure 10;;` When res leased, the` 'clamp t4 is pulled .down `to` its` flush The fan-folded stripper strips.

position by a spring 12. When the clamp 64 moves down to its hush position, it pinches the carbon paper which has been passed through the slot and thus grips the carbon paper flat against the top of the table member.

The fan-folded strips of forms 52 are provided with suitable perforations 18, two such perforations forV each form being shown in Figure 4. Within a transverse compartment 80 of the table member 32 are located two folding and feeding pins 82 which are adapted to enter the holes 'F6 of a form lying on the table top. The pins 82 thus hold the leading form 52 correctly in a predetermined position on the table top. This is important since it is desirable that when a selected sheet or form from the stack 30 is placed upon the leading form 52 on the table top, theV lines and spaces designated on the form 39 accurately overlie and register with the corresponding lines and spaces on the leading form 52, so that entries made in spaces on the topmost form 30 will be duplicated by means of the carbon sheets which are interleaved with the form or forms 52 on the table top.

As is evident fromk Figure 5, the arches 28 eX- tend above the level of the table top 54 so as to make it possible to select any form from the stack 30 and place it upon the table without disturbing the sequence of the forms in the stack held by the arches. In order to place a selected formy 30 on the table top, theforrns in the stack which ordinarily overlie it are moved up and over on the arches until they lie inverted in the rear portion of the trough, as indicated in Figure 5, and the selected form is placed on the table top Without being detached from the arches. rIhe forms beneath the selected form in the stack remain in their normal position under the table top. This operation is facilitated by swinging the entire table member.

The pins 82 not only hold the form 52 in place on the table top but also serve to feed the strip forward through tn project from the slot 62 a sucient distance to enable the operator to seize the projecting end of the strip and pull it forward until the next successive form in the strip is properly located on the table top. Feeding pins of this description are not new, but in the present apparatus improved actuating means for such pins are provided, as illustrated on the drawings. For the actuation of the pins 82, a transverse horizontal shaft 84 is mounted Within the compartment 80 and journaled in partition walls 86 within the compartment 80. The shaft 84 is provided with a suitable operating crank 88 on the end of which a finger button 90 is mounted in a convenient location, such as that illustrated in Figure 1. Secured to the shaft 84 and extending upward therefrom is a plate 92, against a face of which is slidably mounted a second plate 94, this second plate being guided by suitable flanges 9G at the ends of the first plate. VThe sliding plate `is provided with two bent ears 98 at its upper edge to support the pins 82. A pair of springs |00 are stretched between ears |02 at the lower edge of the sliding plate and ears |04 at the upper edge of the plate 92, so as to press the sliding plate and pins 82 yieldingly upward. The pins 82 project upward through slots |06 in a plate |08 which forms the top of the compartment 80, and normally extend up through slots in a curved plate ||0 above the plate |08, these two plates defining the guiding passage 60 through which the strip 52 passes. When the pins 82 pass through the holes 16 of one of the forms in the strip 52, the projection of the pins through the plate I |0 prevents the strip from becoming disengaged until the pins are retracted. For the retraction of the pins 82 at the end of a feeding stroke, a cam is provided. As shown, the cam is a narrow strip portion I2 of the plate |08 which is at the middle of the plate and is curved more sharply downward, asshown inFigures 9 and 10. This cam is engaged by a small wheel or cam follower I4 which is mounted on the sliding plate 94. As is evident from Figures 8 and 9,

' when the shaft 84 is rocked forward by depression of the finger piece 90, the cam follower ||4 rolls on the cam ||2 and causes the plate 94 to slide down with the pins 82 as the pins approach the forward end of their feeding stroke. Thus, when the pins .have fed the paper strip forward so as to project its end out from the slot 62, the pins are then automatically retracted from the holes 18 in the strip and are beneath thelevel of the paper strip at that point. Vln order to maintain the pins 82 in their lowered or retracted position during the return stroke, a latch ||6 is pivotally mounted at ||8 (Figures 8 and 9), this latch having a trigger |20 which is adapted to engage a lug |22 when the shaft 84 is rocked backto its normal position, and a nose |22 which projects Ythrough an opening in the plate 92 and catches on a shoulder |24 in the plate 94 When the latter isY moved to its lowered position, as shown in Figure 9. Thus, the depressed Aplate 94 is heldin such position against the pull of the springs |00 until the trigger |20 engages the lug |22, as the shaft 84 completes its rearward swing so as to trip the latch ||8 and release the plate 94, thus permitting the springs |00 to elevate the plate 84 and pins 82 upward against the underface of the strip 52. When the strip, which has been projected from the slot 62, is manually pulled outward a suflicient additional distance to bring the top of the leading form in line with the front wall of the table member 32, so that the end form can be torn off, the holes 16 of the next successive form in the strip reach a position of registry overlthe pins 82, whereupon the pins pass through these holes and through the plate ||0, thus locking the form in correct position for use on the table top. At the slot 62 a suitable tearing blade |26 is mounted to facilitate ther severing of the leading form from the strip 52.

The table'member 32V isv hinged to the trough so that it can be swung back to facilitate access to `the stack of forms 30 so that a selected form may be yplaced on the table without being detached from the arches. the table member, a limiting element |28 may be attached thereto, and a dash-pot |30 may beV provided within the hollow wall 26.

We claim:

1. Apparatus of the class described comprisingV a receptacle with side walls adapted to receive a stack of printed forms, arches on the oor of said receptacle to hold said forms loosely together, a hollow table member carried'by said vreceptacle and spanning the space between said To prevent injury toa receptacle having side walls, means in said receptacle adapted to hold loosely therein a stack of forms assembled in a predetermined order, a hollow table member hinged to one side wall and normally extending to the other side wall said table member having a chamber for a supply of fan folded forms, dash-pot means in said other side wall to check said table member when rocked to its normal position, and means for limiting the extent of rocking movement of the table away from its normal position.

3. Apparatus of the class described comprising an open ended trough adapted to receive a stack of printed forms, la table normally spanning said trough and movable from said position to provide ready access to the trough, arches mounted in said trough adjacent to an end of said table to hold said printed forms loosely assembled and to position correctly any one of said forms upon said table, and means carried by said table for holding other forms in a predetermined position thereon.

4. Apparatus of the class described comprising a trough with vertical side walls, a complete autographic register spanning said trough and hinged to one wall thereof, said register including a top plate, and means for holding strip forms in correct position in the top plate, and arches in said trough adjacent to one end of said. register for holding a stack of forms loosely assembled in the trough beneath said register and for locating any `selected form from said stack upon and in registry with the forms held on said top plate.

5. Apparatus of the class described comprising a trough having hollow Vertical walls, a self -contained register spanning said trough and hinged to one wall thereof whereby the register can be swungback to open the trough, a dashpot device mounted within the other of said walls and engageable by said register when the register is rocked to its trough-spanning position. arches within said trough adjacent to one end of said register to hold a stack of forms loosely assembled within the trough and to position any selected one of said forms upon the top of the register.

6. Apparatus of the class described comprising a trough having side walls of substantial height to accommodate a large number of record cards stacked therein, an autographic register supported on the tops of said walls and including means for releasably holding record blanks in a predetermined position on the register, and means carried by the trough for holding said record cards loosely assembled and for aligning any selected card with said record blanks when laid thereon.

7. Apparatus of the class described comprising a base, a self-contained register mounted above said base and vertically spaced therefrom, and means on said base for holding a series of separate leaves in a definite sequence and guiding any selected leaf from a position under said register to a predetermined position on top of said register, said register comprising a hollow box having a compartment for a supply of multiple strips of printed forms, means for temporarily holding the leading forms in position on the top of the box to be overlain by any selected one of said leaves in said predetermined position.

8. Apparatus of the class described comprising a base, a self-contained register carried by said base and spaced thereabove, said register comprising a hollow box having a flat top, a compartment for a supply of multiple strips of printed forms and means for locating successive forms accurately in a predetermined position on said top, and means on said base for maintaining a series of record leaves in a definite order below said box and for guiding any selected leaf into a superposed position on the forms on said top in registry therewith.

THOMAS F. CALLAHAN. FRANK G. WHITE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 961,064 Badrow June 7, 1910 1,795,470 Bottle Mar. 10, 1931 1,970,313 Jensen Aug. 14, 1934 1,971,684 Hoppe Aug. 28, 1934 2,014,020 Hano Sept. 10, 1935 2,169,999 Guilday Aug. 22, 1939 2,179,150 Hageman Nov. 7, 1939 2,219,299 Dawson et al Oct. 29, 1940 2,299,319 Gale Oct. 20, 1942 2,300,256 Kerr Oct. 27, 1942 

